Category Archives: Kalamazoo

The Sins of Kalamazoo

Posted on December 10, 2011 by LaDale Winling

From the long-ago poem about Kalamazoo by Carl Sandburg: Best of all I have loved your kiddies playing run-sheep-run And cutting their initials on the ball ground fence. They knew every time I fooled them who was fooled and how. … Continue reading →

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Throwback

Posted on January 29, 2009 by LaDale Winling

Though I’ve had this blog for nigh unto 5 years, there’s probably a story or two about myself I’ve somehow neglected to tell. For three years in undergrad I worked at the 7-Eleven across the street from campus. I worked … Continue reading →

Posted in Kalamazoo, Music, Self-referential | Leave a comment

Where Have I Been Hanging Out?

Posted on December 31, 2008 by LaDale Winling

My In-Laws’ house — Ottawa, Canada. Water Street Coffee Joint — Kalamazoo, Michigan. Kalamazoo Public Library — Kzoo. The Library here is a great place to sit and work, with a large interior space and multi-story skylight (though I don’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Kalamazoo, Self-referential | Leave a comment

Cedar Village Apartments, East Lansing

Posted on April 6, 2008 by urbanoasis

Another product of the MSU student ghetto. Cedar Village is the site of the 1999 incident after a basketball loss. East Lansing Police Chief Tom Wibert said there was no getting around the use of tear gas early this morning … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Housing, Kalamazoo, Research, Urban Planning | Leave a comment

Unbelievable

Posted on December 21, 2007 by urbanoasis

Oberon is not coming back to Chicago. Bell’s Beer probably facing a lawsuit. Dale very unhappy. Last fall, Larry Bell yanked the beers that bore his name out of Chicago, where they enjoyed a loyal following, rather than see the … Continue reading →

Posted in Chicago, Kalamazoo | 2 Comments

Lament for a Kalamazoo Coffee Shop

Posted on June 7, 2007 by urbanoasis

Water Street, oh Water Street. You’ve got the best damn coffee in Kalamazoo and are probably the reason I hate Ann Arbor coffee so much. Why is everyone else here a 40-something downtown professional arts type or stay-at-home wife? Why … Continue reading →

Posted in Kalamazoo | 4 Comments

Housing Starts in Cities I’ve Lived In

Posted on May 10, 2007 by urbanoasis

Housing Starts Originally uploaded by urbanoasis. Portland, OR: Not doing so bad. Kalamazoo, MI: Hurting all around. This chart is from data from the National Association of Home Builders showing March 2007 vs. March 2006. Statistics are for whole metro … Continue reading →

Posted in Ann Arbor, Chicago, Housing, Kalamazoo, Real Estate | Leave a comment

Blast from the Past

Posted on October 9, 2006 by urbanoasis

From an editorial I wrote 4 years ago as opinion editor of the Western Herald. The Detroit Tigers are in trouble. The Tigers lost their Hall of Fame announcer to retirement. They lost almost two-thirds of their games this season. … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Detroit, Kalamazoo, Self-referential, Sports | 3 Comments

Zoo Life

Posted on December 28, 2005 by urbanoasis

I headed to downtown Kalamazoo yesterday to tool around the place and do some work in a coffee shop. I remember again my many laments that Western Michigan University is not closer to downtown Kalamazoo. Despite its being overpriced, Ann … Continue reading →

Posted in Ann Arbor, Kalamazoo, Urban Planning | 7 Comments

Another Anti-Daily

Posted on November 14, 2005 by urbanoasis

Columbus, Ohio, as you probably know, is home to Ohio State University. The New York Times reports that the OSU student newspaper, The Lantern, is getting some competition from a for-profit corporation. I say good. When I worked at WMU’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Ann Arbor, Higher Education, Kalamazoo, Media | 4 Comments